The essence of meditation is not something complicated or exotic. It is simply taking a break from our habitual patterns.

Our task is to learn to see clearly what is happening in each moment, rather than be lost in our reactions and judgments.

The difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.

When we attempt to exercise power or control over someone else, we cannot avoid giving that person the very same power or control over us.

The goal of the Buddhist path is not to add something to our existence but to discover something that has been there all along.

The nature of mind is like a mirror. It is not affected by whatever appears in it, yet it never fails to reflect everything perfectly.

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.

For whom emptiness is possible, everything is possible. For whom emptiness is not possible, nothing is possible.

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

The path of awakening is not about becoming who we think we should be, but about unbecoming who we are not.

Life is an art, and like perfect art it should be self-forgetting.

The root of all suffering is ignorance. The antidote to ignorance is wisdom that realizes emptiness.

Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as your capacity to ground your attention in the present moment.

Every being has the potential of becoming a Buddha. Our true nature is Buddha nature.

Anger or hatred is like a fisherman's hook. It is very important for us to ensure that we are not caught by it.

To see nothing is to perceive the Way, and to understand nothing is to know the Dharma.

World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.

The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves.

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

The cultivation of loving-kindness has the power to transform enmity into amity, hostility into hospitality.

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

The root of suffering is resisting the certainty that no matter what the circumstances, uncertainty is all we truly have.

Forgiveness is not a moral issue. It's a power issue. When we hold onto grievance and resentment, we are giving our power away.

The goal of Buddhist practice is not to escape from the world but to transform our relationship with it.

We practice to learn how to let go, not how to increase our holding on to things.

Metta is the ability to embrace all parts of ourselves, as well as all parts of the world.

In the moment of anger, abandon anger but not the person. In the moment of attachment, abandon attachment but not the person.

When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be miserable, expect something in return.

The deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.

The true person is not anyone in particular. But like the deep blue color of the limitless sky, it is everyone, everywhere in the world.

Study the Buddha's teaching which is present in every moment.

The snow lion stays in the mountains, and the snow lion's ways are the snow lion's ways.